NationStates Jolt Archive

A few months ago, the research cruiser Strider came across an unusual star. Its fusion processes entirely over, it was one of the first or second generation stars in the universe. However, for a reason still not fully understood, this star had stopped when its fuel had been converted to carbon. Indeed, not any form, but diamond.
Yes, an entire star that was nothing more than a gigantic diamond. Approximately the size of the star Sol, it is without a doubt one of the largest diamonds ever found. The Ineffable Empire promptly laid claim to it, after checking it was not within previously-claimed territory.

Now, The Ineffable Empire intends to open this diamond to auction. Highest bidder gets the prestige of owning the largest diamond on the international scene.
The bidding shall last one RL week: It shall conclude at approx. 6.15pm Friday 11th February.

So, can we have the opening bid please?

i bid 1$

A message from Lord JWolf to TST:

My bid is for ten billion Wolf Dollars.

We own a bowling ball the size of Jupiter, for some reason. We haven't cut any finger-holes in it yet, so are willing off this as a bid for your diamond.

Ravea bids a box of awsometude muffins and thirty-seven trillion cents.

"The bid of 1$ isn't that bad of an idea. Part of what drives of the price of diamonds is rarity. Having a stockpile of diamond the size of the sun, would flood the market and drive the value of the diamond into the ground. While that much diamond would be worth alot, small diamonds would essentially be worthless. You may as well just auction off an actual star, or maybe a hunk of iron.

Furthermore, the technology available to anyone capable of caring about said diamond, would have likely already driven the value of diamonds down already.

Not to mention the shear gravity created by the "star" would make harvesting useful materials from the diamond difficult. (as far as I know at least)

Therefore, we cast a bid of one hundred credits."

-- Maria Peacecraft
-- Office of Foreign Affairs

Father was... anxious. He had already altered his plan, but had not taken into consideration the possibility of losing the auction. Regardless, he informed me to open communications immediately.

"This is Airor of The Awakened. I, on behalf of our Empire, formally bid two-fifty billion Mindsettian Commercial Credits for the diamond for sale. I also formally request that any higher bidding be considered long enough for us to alter our bid."

It was settled. Perhaps the plan could work.

"Your interest has been noted Airor, and you have my word that a counter-offer from you shall be awaited upon before the closing of the auction."

OOC: Yes, I'm well aware that a star-sized diamond would flood the market, but meh. Somebody's going to buy it.

While I'm not interested in actually bidding, given my distinct lack of sizeable interplanetary (Yet alone interstellar) spacecraft...

"The bid of 1$ isn't that bad of an idea. Part of what drives of the price of diamonds is rarity. Having a stockpile of diamond the size of the sun, would flood the market and drive the value of the diamond into the ground. While that much diamond would be worth alot, small diamonds would essentially be worthless. You may as well just auction off an actual star, or maybe a hunk of iron.

Not to mention the shear gravity created by the "star" would make harvesting useful materials from the diamond difficult. (as far as I know at least)I'm somewhat confused. Wouldn't the latter problem mean that the former problem doesn't actually exist, given that the raw amount of diamond can't actually be used? And wouldn't TST's wording, 'Highest bidder gets the prestige of owning the largest diamond on the international scene.' sort of suggest that they're actually aware of this problem, since they advertise only prestige, but nothing actually useful, like, say, mining options.

Just a thought.

~ Jennifer Clarke, CEO Global Traffics Inc.

While I'm not interested in actually bidding, given my distinct lack of sizeable interplanetary (Yet alone interstellar) spacecraft...

I'm somewhat confused. Wouldn't the latter problem mean that the former problem doesn't actually exist, given that the raw amount of diamond can't actually be used? And wouldn't TST's wording, 'Highest bidder gets the prestige of owning the largest diamond on the international scene.' sort of suggest that they're actually aware of this problem, since they advertise only prestige, but nothing actually useful, like, say, mining options.

Just a thought.

~ Jennifer Clarke, CEO Global Traffics Inc.

"Difficult does not mean impossible."

-Maria Peacecraft

1 trillion USD.

President Steel was reviewing the announcement of such large diamond, "Damn.. quite a big rock, i am sure Allie will like it.. then again maybe not.. hmm.. i wonder if Angels like diamonds?.. ahh.. what the hell, we'll buy it.. or at least try.." he reaches and presses a button on his communicator..

Message to Minister of Economy.. send bid on the diamond on the ammount of 1.5 Trillion Credits..

"There.. if she does not want it.. then we'll make it a turistic attraction!!" he reclined back on his executive chair and poured himself some brandy..

We of the Resi Corporation bid a cool $2 trillion for this overly large space rock.

Also, you should know that selling this rock to us will be advantegous in that we will not flood the market with diamond, but use this carbon exclusivly for armoring purposes. We'll mine it, then refine it to Carbon-60 buckyballs for armoring, so jewelry won't even be a part of this equation.

"We shall increase our bid to 2.1 trillion credits."

Um... Guys... Conversion rates...

5CN bids 2.5 trillion Nus.

A diamond is worthless (not completely, but you know what I mean)
Untill is cut but a master diamond cutter.
Give me your diamond, I will have my people cut it into many priceless gems.
You will no doubt get much much more $$
Of coarse a small % for my help will be required.

A diamond is worthless (not completely, but you know what I mean)
Untill is cut but a master diamond cutter.
Give me your diamond, I will have my people cut it into many priceless gems.
You will no doubt get much much more $$
Of coarse a small % for my help will be required.
And your people will survive the diamonds gravity...how?
No bids of services will be accepted, but artifacts (e.g. the giant bowling ball) may. However, we care not what you do with the diamond after acquiring it, be ye interested in flooding the market, making armour or constructing weapons of mass desctruction.

Five Civilised Nations currently has the highest bid.

"2.65 trillion."

While the chance to buy a black hole is certainly tempting (given that any core remnant capable of creating a diamond of one solar radius would have to be well over three--or even three hundred--solar masses and thus would compress into a black hole at the end of its life cycle) we think we can find one for ourselves.

Either way, we thusly bid N+1 monetary units in complete disregard for any concept of percentage of gross national product, utility, or national interest.

http://www.weirdozone.0catch.com/projects/nationstates/scolopendra/jon_hertzfeldt.gifAdvisor Jon Hertzfeldt
Science Section
Federated Segments of Scolopendra

"Due to unforseen circumstances, we must withdraw from the auction. The proposed funds are now required elsewhere."